Eco-Green Mushrooms

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(NC)-Warning: Don't buy green mushrooms! Everyone knows that fresh Canadian mushrooms are either white or brown. So, what's with the green?

Green means environment. You know, ecology: preservation of soil, water and air. In order to preserve the environment for future generations, we should recycle, reduce and reuse. Mushrooms have been around for millions of years. In the forests, they recycle, reduce and reuse waste materials. That is precisely what modern farmers do on mushroom farms.

Recycle: Canadian mushroom farmers convert agricultural wastes, from wheat and corn fields, horse stables, and poultry barns, into a nutritious food and a valuable soil conditioner. Every year, mushroom growers in Canada recycle at least 240,000 tons of wheat straw, 4,000 tons of stable bedding and 126,000 tons of poultry litter to grow white button, brown and portabella mushrooms. Mushroom farmers also use a lot of water, not only in the composting process, but also to clean and wash the mushroom growing and packing rooms. Most of that water is captured and recycled during the composting process. Any water that is released to the environment is purified through settling beds or man-made wetlands.

Reduce: When mushroom farmers use agricultural byproducts they reduce the volume of wastes that, otherwise, may contaminate the environment. If it wasn't for the mushroom farmers these byproducts might be burned or sent to landfills.

Reuse: After the mushrooms have been harvested, the spent mushroom substrate is removed from the growing rooms, sterilized, and sold to landscapers, market gardeners, orchards, flower growers, parks and gardeners as a valuable soil fertilizer/conditioner.

So, when you buy fresh Canadian mushrooms from a local farmer, you have helped to recycle, reduce, and reuse agricultural wastes, leaving a minimum carbon footprint. Mushrooms really are green! Plus, they are good to eat and goodfor you.To learn more about the mushroom farming visit Mushrooms Canada at www.mushrooms.ca.